Any member of the community can file a complaint against any uniformed personnel that they believe may have acted improperly. Complaints can be filed anonymously and can be made by anyone, including witnesses or those who heard about an incident from someone else. Complaint topics can include disrespectful treatment, improper use of force, or any other allegation against specific uniformed personnel, regardless of whether the complainant knows their name(s) or badge number(s). Complaints can be provided to the Citizen Oversight Board (COB), the Office of the Independent Monitor (OIM), or directly with departments’ internal investigative offices. The easiest way to file a complaint or commendation related to the DPD or DSD is through the OIM’s online form. The DFD has an online form available as well.
Historically, both DPD and DSD had their own internal affairs offices that were responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct concerning uniformed personnel and recommending appropriate discipline. This is still the case for the DPD, which has both an Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) responsible for initial screening of complaints, gathering evidence, and conducting interviews and a Conduct Review Bureau (CRB, often also referred to as the Conduct Review Office or CRO) responsible for evaluating the evidence and making initial disciplinary recommendations. However, the DSD’s internal affairs division was replaced in 2019 by a new Public Integrity Division (PID) within the DOS. The PID consists of an Administrative Investigations Unit (AIU) and a Conduct Review Unit (CRU), which have responsibilities similar to their DPD counterparts. While complaints can be made through many channels, complaints about DSD uniformed personnel are first evaluated by AIU, with the results of any formal investigation then going to CRU, which recommends specific outcomes. Similarly, complaints about DPD or DFD uniformed personnel are first evaluated by their respective IAB, with the results of any formal investigations then going to their CRB, which recommend specific outcomes.
Department heads can issue reprimands on their own, but if they wish to impose more severe discipline they must propose it to the EDOS, who is responsible for the final decision on any discipline for uniformed personnel more severe than a reprimand. This process is the same regardless of whether a complaint is initially submitted to the Board, the OIM, the DSD’s Grievance and Incident Review Team (GIRT), or directly to the internal affairs units.
After the EDOS makes the department’s final discipline decision, police officers and firefighters are able to appeal that decision to the Civil Service Commission, where a hearing officer is assigned to decide the appeal. The hearing officer’s decision can be further appealed to the full Commission. Sheriff deputies and most civilian employees can similarly appeal to the Career Service Board, which also uses hearing officers before a second appeal can be made to the Board itself. All employees are also able to appeal disciplinary decisions to the formal court system.